Acceptance into the women’s refuge

You can be accepted into the women’s refuge if you are suffering from violence in a partnership relationship. The women’s refuge is also open to you even if you are uncertain whether you want to separate from your husband/partner. In the women’s refuge, you can consider in peace and quiet how you want to proceed. You can be accepted into the women’s refuge with or without your children, independent of your cultural origins.

Acceptance into the women’s refuge is simple, and you have several options:

• You call us yourself and ask about a free space.
• Friends, relatives or acquaintances can telephone for you if you do not speak German.
• In an emergency, you can also come to us during the night and at the weekends. For this purpose, please contact the police.

What you should bring with you if possible:

• Identification/passport (also for the children)
• Working papers: Work contract, work permit
• Insurance card for your health insurance (also for the children)
• Social security documentation
• Pay slip/income statement (also those of the partner or husband)
• Marriage certificate/family register
• Birth certificates
• Money/account statements/savings books
• Vaccination documentation
• Authorization orders: Job agency, child benefit, child-raising benefit, pensions etc.
• Other important papers: Rental agreement, insurance documents, certificates
• Important medication
• Residence door key

For your children:

• Favourite toys, cuddly animals

• School things and certificates

In the women’s refuge

You run your own household and look after your children. In order to protect you and the other inhabitants against further violence, the address of the women’s refuge is kept secret. For this reason, you may not invite visitors. You will usually receive your own room. In part, you may have to share a bathroom and kitchen. Your dishes, cutlery and bedclothes and towels are provided by the women’s refuge. By co-habiting with other women at the refuge, you have the possibility to conduct exchanges with those who have also experienced violence and to mutually support each other.

Our employees will support you and your children during all steps which you take in order to cope with the new situation. Our support helps you to (re)discover your own capabilities, to build up self-confidence and to value yourself, and to develop new perspectives for a life without violence. 

Children in the women’s refuge

The children will also quickly make new friends and learn that they are not the only ones who have experienced violence at home. They have a large playroom inside the women’s refuge, and a playground outside, located within a secure courtyard.
The women’s refuge is thus also a protective establishment for girls and boys. Our employees support the children in getting used to their new surroundings/situation, and offer them everyday assistance. They facilitate the contact to child day care centres, schools and leisure institutions. In collaboration with child and adolescent aid centres, the employees at the women’s refuge assist children in coping with traumatic violent experiences. The employees advise and support you during any further contact between your children and their father. You can also find information on this subject in our brochure “Protected handling of domestic violence”.

In an emergency, you can also contact the free hotline of the Frankfurt Kinder-und Jugendschutztelefons (child and adolescent protection hotline): 0800 2010111
www.kinderschutz-frankfurt.de